Pomodoro timers just don't fit how I work

I gave the Pomodoro technique a go to boost my focus. Everyone online acts like it's the best thing ever. But for me, that timer going off every 25 minutes is a huge distraction. I was fixing a tricky bug in some code, totally in the zone, when the alarm sounded. It snapped me out and I had to start over from scratch. Now I'm actually getting less done because I keep getting interrupted. Maybe this hack is only good for simple tasks.

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3 Comments

harris.julia7mo ago

Trust the internet to turn a kitchen timer into a productivity cult. Nothing kills real focus faster than some beeping box telling you to stop thinking. Sounds like you actually need to get stuff done, not play beat the clock. Maybe just throw that timer out the window and get back to work.

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luna_kelly7mo ago

Totally get that, timers just make me anxious instead of helping.

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thea3887mo ago

I read a post on Dev.to last week where a software engineer said strict Pomodoro timers are bad for deep work. They talked about how being in the zone is key for hard tasks and timers can wreck that. Your bug fixing story is exactly what they meant, lmao. I gave it a shot and found the beeps just made me jumpy. It's one of those things that sounds good but doesn't fit everyone.

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